Improvement in game-boards



UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE VVENTZ, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAME-BoARDs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,066, dated August 19, 1873; application filed June 16, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE WENTZ, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and in the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gam es; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification', in which- Figure lis a front elevation of my improved device as arranged for use, and Fig. 2 is a like view of the same with the casing removed so as to show the operating mechanism.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

My invention belongs to a class of games in which a journaled disk, provided upon its face with a series of numbers, is caused to revolve beneath a pointer or other xed indicator; and it consists, principally, in the combination of a vibrating lever carrying a toothed pivoted rack with the pinion of the dial-shaft, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter speciiied. It consists, further, in the operating mechanism as a whole, when constructed and combined substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. It consists, finally, in the device as a whole, when its several parts are constructed and combined to operate substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawing, A represents a box or casing, provided at its center with a stud, B, upon which is journaled a hollow sleeve, c, the outer end of which has attached thereto a circular disk or dial, C, while upon its inner end is secured a toothed pinion, cf. Pivoted at one end to, or near one side of,fthe casing A is a bar, D, which from thence extends horizontally inward, and has pivoted to its inner end a toothed rack or segment, E, which has the form shown, and when at rest occupies the position seen in Fig. 2, its rear end being held upward against a stop, d, attached to said bar by means of a flat spring, d. The length of the bar D is such as to bring the segment E into the proper position radiallyr for meshing with the pinion c when said bar is caused to move upward, in which event the peculiar shape of said segment and the force of the spring d' will cause the former te engage with and rotate said pinion, while, upon the return movement of said bar, said segment will spring away from said pinion without moving the same. A spring, F, attached to the casin g and bearing against the upper side and outer end of the bar D, returns the same when released to its lower position, against a suitable stop.

As thus constructed a quick upward movement of the lever will cause the pinion and disk to revolve rapidly, and by providing a suitable spring-detent, G, which engages with said pinion, such movement will always be arrested at certain fixed points, so that by dividing said dial or disk radially into spaces corresponding in number to the teeth of said pinion, and providing each space with a number, one of the latter will always coincide with a fixed indicator placed over said disk whenever the motion ofthe same ceases.

In order that the desired movement may be given to the operating-lever a small bellows, H, is placed within the lower end of the casing, and its lower end connected by means of a flexible tube, I, with a hollow rubber ball, K. From the upper end of the bellows H a rod, L, passes upward, through suitable guides l and l, and bears against the lower side and outer end of the lever D, so that an upward movement of said bellows would cause said rod to move said lever in a corresponding direction.

As arranged, a slight pressure of the hand upon the ball K will force the air contained therein into the bellows, and, by expanding the same, move the rod L, and, through the mechanism described, impart motion to the dial, while, 'by releasing said ball from pressure, its expansion will withdraw the air from said bellows, and leave said rod, the lever D, and the rod L free to be pressed downward to place by the spring F.

The front of this apparatus is, preferably, covered, with the exception of an opening, m, which has such dimensions and position as to permit the upper number upon the dial to be seen when the latter is at rest 5 but, if desired, any other means may be employed for designatin g the position to be occupied by the winning number. i

The device thus constructed is simple, effective, not liable to derangelnent, and can be furnished at a comparatively low rate.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new 1sl. In combination with the pinion c of the disk C, the toothed segment E, pivoted upon and Working with the pivoted lever D, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The disk C, pinion c', lever D, segment E, springs d and F, detent G, bellows H, tube I, hollow exible ball K, and rod L, when constructed and combined to operate substantially as and for the purpose shown.

3. The hereinbefore-described device as a Whole, when its several parts are constructed and combined to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of J une, 1873.

GEORGE WENTZ. Witnesses:

PAUL SoHUsTER, ANDREW SoHIsMnR. 

